‘Suffering in a silent vacuum’: Woman-to-woman partner abuse as a challenge to the lesbian feminist vision

Abstract

This reflection addresses the challenge which violence and abuse in women’s same-sex relationships pose to lesbian feminist conceptualizations of woman-to-woman relationships as egalitarian and non-violent. Whilst recognizing the value of the ideals which lesbian feminism promoted in terms of presenting an alternative to patriarchal oppression and domination, this reflection draws upon data from the author’s qualitative study of woman-to-woman partner abuse to identify the implications of such ideals for women’s disclosure of and understanding of their experiences of abuse. For some participants, the pervasiveness of expectations of mutuality and non-violence in woman-to-woman relationships contributed to the silence and denial which surrounds woman-to-woman partner abuse. In spite of this, this reflection maintains that there is still scope for lesbian feminism to make a positive contribution towards promoting democratic, egalitarian, and non-abusive relationships. In order for this to be possible however, lesbian feminist thinking must first develop a more inclusive understanding of woman-to-woman relationships which confronts the reality that some women’s experiences of woman-to-woman relationships run contrary to the longed-for lesbian utopia which was central to 1970s lesbian feminist ideals.